Comments on: Nanotechnology and life extension: challenge & response

By: Gavin Revitt

Gavin Revitt — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 09:18:18 +0000

Without doubt one of the most relevant side effects to consider regarding the application of life extension would be the opportunity for increasing the quality of individual understanding, appreciation and respect for both the environment and the social bonds we form. It would doubtless force us to consider the social systems under which we work. In fact there’s probably several books worth of philosophical material behind even these simple points alone!

By: Solarhaphaeriom

Solarhaphaeriom — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:06:25 +0000

Isn’t becoming different people what we do all the time? I doubt the author worries much about his parents telling him to go to bed, or what the cool kids are wearing. And I doubt he’s much bothered by this either.

By: Warren

Warren — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 22:51:39 +0000

I have always wanted to live forever….Unfortunately , among other things, this involves watching those you love deeply die before you. I am 67. My father died at 91, my mother at 89, my sister at 36, my x-wife at 38, my great anuts (3) and great uncles (6) and grandparents all died before I was 12. My friends Larry, Garth, Tom, Joe, Victor, Harry, all died from HIV at 30-45 years old. I would have died 4 years ago from inherited liver cancer by thanks to medical advances and the death of a poor unknown soul, I was given a new liver and am living cancer free maybe for another 25 years or so.
However, if the tolomeres are replaced with healthy ones and return to the normal lenght they are in cells in the new cells your body turns over every 5 years, then you look and feel great and can continue contributing the human race. Your brain has the capacity to store infinitely more information than it does in our puny lifetimes. Think of the poems I could write. Think of the paintings I could paint. Think of the exciting new things I could learn. Think how as a scientist working for the environment how I could help rewturn this garden earth into the virtal nurishing entity it should be! Think what I could contribute to the good of mankind! Imagine Placido Domingo, Renee Flemming, Tan Dun, etc all singing for
me, alive and vtal. Think of the exciting new ethics and legal issues… Think.
And we could stay as long as we wanted! Count me in!

More snow, more rainbows, more birds singing, more pure fresh air, more boat trips, more adventures. If Mathusala lived 900 years and was as vital as he was when he was 30, why not I?

By: John Gerbing

John Gerbing — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 22:42:46 +0000

Life extension presents opportunity but to enjoy this opportunity we need not only extend life but return youth to those that are extending their life. If I could keep a healthy 21 year old body for a few centuries I wouldn’t mind doing so as long as the people I love do the same.

This would not only let us start to explore this vast universe in ways we never imagined but the technology needed for this would come with other benifits, we could spend more time doing the things we want to do instead of things we don’t. We could explore so much more then ever before that I think it would be a grand age of exploration.

As for any new advancement though this one needs some safe guards put into place so that if a terrorist group ever got ahold of it they could be nuetralized before ruining everything.

By: Christine Peterson

Christine Peterson — Sun, 23 May 2010 16:54:37 +0000

@Ron — I believe the plan is to establish space settlements. –Chris Peterson

By: Ron Perkins

Ron Perkins — Fri, 21 May 2010 23:58:09 +0000

The problem I see with “Boomers sticking around longer” is that many will turn their extra few hundred years on Earth into a string of new marriages, divorces, remarriages, etc., This, combined with advances in fertility science, will only accelerate over-population as serial monogamists have new kids with each new marriage.

By: michael

michael — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:21:49 +0000

Yes. we are sufficiently adapted. We have reading and writing for a reason.

By: Titus Quinn

Titus Quinn — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:09:48 +0000

“It seems highly unlikely that life extension will improve any of these. In fact, its contribution may be negative.”

Then it stands to reason that life truncation (of those who live in wealthy nations) should be a positive contribution, thereby reducing social injustice, naturally.

By: Life extension as human enhancement « FrogHeart

Life extension as human enhancement « FrogHeart — Wed, 12 May 2010 15:41:56 +0000

[...] unrelated to nanotechnology. Christine Peterson offers a different perspective in her May 10, 2010 response, There is a simple answer to this debating. Boomers should stick around, keep working, and help pay [...]

By: James Gentile

James Gentile — Wed, 12 May 2010 13:40:37 +0000

For real? Lose my identity? And I suppose I keep my identity when I turn to dust and get ate by worms…